“You’re sure about this,” he murmured, glancing sidelong at Wyatt.
Wyatt winced. “It’s... probably not a good idea. Maybe we should wait for Dad to cool off first.”
And maybe they should leave, and Raph should move in with Wyatt, get settled before they mentioned their bonding to Dad again.
Raph was about to voice it, when one of the meeting room doors opened.
Several officers filed out, a number striding toward the lift lobby, some returning to their desks. At the end of the line, Stan Fleming stepped out of the room, deep in conversation with his subordinate.
Wyatt stepped closer to Raph, his throat working. And their father glanced over, his eyes locking onto them. His lips thinned; his eyes narrowed.
It felt like the time when Raph crashed his bicycle into his dad’s new car, except the stakes were a lot higher now. Dad ended the conversation with his officer, striding toward them.
Wyatt’s hand found its way into Raph’s, his fingers tacky with sweat.
“Things will be fine,” Raph said.
Wyatt cracked a tiny smile. “You told Hazel you wouldn’t lie.”
Well, there was that. Raph sighed, squeezing Wyatt’s hand. “I’m not failing you again.”
They stepped to the side when Chief Fleming approached, pulling out the key to his office. With a frown, Dad glanced at Wyatt’s belly, then their clasped hands. Raph straightened his shoulders. If there was something his dad had taught him, it was that he should stand up for what he thought was right.
Dad opened the office door, leaving it open when he stepped in. So they followed, Raph first, then Wyatt, and Wyatt shut the door behind them.
The office smelled like stale coffee and spruce. It was just like Ted had described—framed photos of their family on the walls, photos on the desk by Dad’s computer. There were pictures of Raph and his siblings, pictures of Wyatt and Hazel, pictures of Stan and Tanya, and a yellowing one from a decade ago—their parents, and Raph, Penny and Wyatt. Before Wyatt left.
They’d looked so young, back then.
“I thought you’d be at work today,” Dad said, looking hard at Raph. He set his files on the desk, sitting carefully down in his chair.
“I took a day off,” Raph said. “I’m quitting Alpha Associates.”
“Your grandma’s going to be so damn pissed.”
“Better she be pissed, than me walking out on my baby.” Raph straightened his shoulders, meeting Dad’s eyes. “Wy hasn’t had an easy life, Dad. Our baby’s my responsibility, too. I’m not going to sit back and have him raise the child as a single father.”
Dad pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. “Why even Wyatt, Raph? There are so many omegas out there. Not saying you’re terrible, Wy. Just... explain this to me. You know what the whole town is going to think.”
And by relation, the whole police station, too. With Stan Fleming caught in the scandal.
Raph exchanged a look with Wyatt. There wasn’t anyone else he’d ever wanted, not really. “It’s not like we’re planning a big wedding, or anything. I don’t care if the people outside think I’m stepping in as Wyatt’s replacement alpha. Hell, you thought the same thing at first. We just figured... you should know the truth.”
“I’ve loved Raph since I was fourteen,” Wyatt said quietly. “As an omega. I don’t think anyone really noticed, except Mom and Grandma.”
“We aren’t blood brothers,” Raph said.
Dad nodded, his lips a thin line.
“I know I should love him as my brother,” Raph said. “I don’t know why Wyatt. I can’t explain it, except maybe we’ve been seeing each other differently, more than brothers. You’ve always said an alpha should protect their omega. Wy hasn’t had an alpha in ages—”
“He had one, didn’t he?” Dad glanced at Wyatt, who tensed. “I don’t remember his name offhand. Wyatt, you said it was an accident...”
And the dormant fury in Raph’s chest roared. “It was no accident,” Raph muttered, his grip tightening on Wyatt’s hand. “Wy was lying to you and Mom about that.”
Wyatt paled. Raph glanced at him, feeling the weight of dad’s gaze on both of them.
“Am I allowed to tell him?” Raph asked, his heart thudding. “Just... just the short version of it.”
Dad frowned. “Tell me what?”
Wyatt squirmed, looking at his feet. “I... guess.”
“Hazel’s other dad abused Wy,” Raph said, anger coiling through his limbs. “He never told you because he didn’t want you to worry.”
Dad’s gaze sharpened. “Is that true, Wyatt?”
Wyatt nodded, looking away. “Sorry. I thought... I didn’t want you to look at Hazel differently.”
Dad frowned, standing. And Wyatt flinched, as though he expected to be beaten. Raph’s heart cracked. He stepped between Dad and Wyatt, his chest tight. “I swore I’d protect him,” Raph said. “If you want to blame someone for this, blame me.”
For a long moment, Dad looked at Raph, and Wyatt past his shoulder. Raph reached behind, catching Wyatt’s hand. Wyatt’s palm was sweaty, his fingers shaking. They shouldn’t have come here; Raph shouldn’t have put Wyatt in this position at all.
“I’m sorry,” he said, turning to look at Wyatt. “We’ll get out of here.”
“Wait,” Dad said. He rounded his desk, his mustache bristling. “Wyatt.”
Wyatt pressed his forehead against Raph’s shoulder, his other arm slipping around his belly. Gods, Raph hadn’t seen him shake this much, since the time Max showed up at the drive-in. “I don’t want to talk about it,” Wyatt mumbled.
Raph pulled Wyatt into his arms, holding him tight. “We won’t talk about it.”
Wyatt nodded, trembling, hiding his face in Raph’s shoulder.
To the side, Dad stopped some paces away, his eyes sorrowful. “I’m not asking you to leave,” he rumbled, tense. “I’m sorry, Wyatt. I didn’t... I should have known better. Who was your abuser?”
“Max McArthur,” Raph said.
Dad narrowed his eyes. “McArthur? I closed the Horace McArthur case earlier this year. Our department has been keeping tabs on his relatives.”
“Yeah, well. The Max bastard’s back in Meadowfall,”
